SCHRE1BER 
CHRISTMAS ISLAND 
5 April _ 
Arrqived on theisland after a flight that lert 
barbers point at 04-00. I think that i sin the first 
/ person to ever J^et on a military flight without 
orders. Flew over the island before landing and I 
took some pictures. Upon arrival, of course, no 
one knew that i was arriving but the C&GS are 
frindly and made me feel right at home. Dudley 
Cook had a Land Rover which he gave me right at 
the airport so i now have that to drive as i wish. 
The maps that i have are not too accurate and it | 
is a bit confusing to get around but i think that 
I will be able to find my way without too much 
trouble. Began to get settled than took the rover 
and drive between the New C mp and London trying 
to get some impression of what is around, also dro 
ve as fiar as just beyond the airport ( and then back 
making a big oblong cirlce covering perhaps 1/5 of 
theisland. Am amazed that there are no more birds 
around. Sorta had the impression that there would 
be many more. b Impressions of the first drive: 
CHRISTMAS IALN SHEARWATER: only saw a very few 
flying between camp and london, into the wind mov 
ing it seems from the lagoon toward the open ocean 
Phoenix Is. Petrel: These birds are numberous 
flying in a similiar manner and the CIS. Est saw 
150 on this drive. 
Red-tailed tropicbird: over the easfiernend of th 
runway counted 10-15 of these in courtship flight 
quite high, watched for a few minutes but did not 
swe any on the gournd or even come pi lower than 
about 25 feet. Looked each time i stopped for 
nests but did not find any. 
BLUE FACED BOOBY: in the area around the NE lagoo 
n found approx 10 pairs on the gound. Did not 
disturb them, no eggs p laid but seem to be on 
widely spaced territories and all pairs were both 
a male and feists male. Did not see any bands and 
this was the only area where i saw them. 
BROWN BOOBY: saw one adult out over the ocean but 
none on the graound or elsewhere. 
RED FOOTED BOOBY: only saw fchwe a few light phase 
the rest are dark or intermediate. around the 
northeast lagoon they are common nesting in the 
scaevola and other bushes, messerschmidia,. they 
SCHREIBER,CHRISTMAS ISLAND 
. 3 '.. 
25 April 
are sitting on nests well constructed and the birii 
sitting on the nests are sitting very tight,-made 
i several move up and t ey are on eggs so did not 
disturb them any more. Have no idea at what part 
of the cycle they are in so do not want to disturb 
them any more than nesessary. Only saw them a nei 
gting around this lagoon and est 300 pairs, very 
foughly. Mostly adults seen and almost no imm or 
sub ad. These dark phase birds are really beautif 
ul. 
LERRER FRIGATE: none seen that 1 can tell. 
GREAT FRIGATE: between camp and london counted 
about 1 50, in two small flogks of 25 each, one ju 
st at the junction where telephone 1 is and the 
other right in town. M "st of these birds were innr 
and sub adults , hanging over the edge of the lagc 
on or above the trees or along the lagoon where 
the chic&ren are throwing food to them. Also saw 
them over two fishermen, who say they will rob the 
m of the fish they catch if they leave them along 
on the beach. So they put them on stringer made 
of palm frond after breaking their heads off- tje 
fish that is. They also say they have seen the 
frigates dropping crabs than th feeding on them. 
Will have to look into this. Around the NCAR 
weather observation post there are males with full 
y inflated gular sacs sitting in the low acaevola^ 
est 100 or so in this area probably more, will 
be easy to work some night but have to cover alot 
of ground. Also a few around the lagoon, NE. 
SOOTY TERN: seen between camp and london, near .th 
e water we11,very high in the air, est up to 800 f 
eet and not below 100, calling and strung otc 
over an area of about 2 miles, est mot more than 
5000 birds, to the sea side of the road, none see 
on the ground but not cheqk very carefully, birth 
heard calling over the camp at night. 
GRAY BACKED TERN: only seen on and islat and per 
in the ne lagoon where it looks like they are nest 
- ing. 
BLACK KG AND BROWN NODDY: individuals all over 
this edn of the island in the air, mostly flying 
from lagoon toward the ocean. Black much more 
common than brown by 25 to 1. saw a large ilock 
